Blue
Symbol Analysis

As Kira becomes more familiar with the art of weaving, she comes to understand that different colors correspond to different emotions, and, conversely, that some feelings have a particular “color.” (This way of looking at color is called synesthesia). Yellow and orange are angry, hot colors (mostly because of their association with fire), while green and yellow are more peaceful (on the robe, they indicate eras of calm and happiness). Blue is almost entirely missing from the robe. Because the robe is an explicit symbol of the society of the village, this would suggest that blue symbolizes an emotion that is particularly lacking among the guardians and the villagers. This is exactly what Lowry intends: blue symbolizes love and compassion. Lowry implies this in various ways. Kira’s mother, Katrina, who’s one of the few compassionate people in the village, dies of sickness. While she’s alive, she sings a song about how blue never lasts. When Matt returns from Christopher’s new home, he says that the new community has blue everywhere, and makes it clear that this community’s most noticeable quality is the compassion of its citizens for one another. Thus, when Kira decides to stay in her village and decorate the robe with blue thread, she aims to pass on love and compassion from a community that has both emotions in abundance to one that barely knows them.

Blue Quotes in Gathering Blue

The Gathering Blue quotes below all refer to the symbol of Blue. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

).
Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Houghton Mifflin edition of Gathering Blue published in 2012.

Chapter 9
Quotes

The Singer's robe contained only a few tiny spots of ancient blue, faded almost to white. After her supper, after the oil lamps had been lit, Kira examined it carefully. She lay her threads — the ones from her own small collection and the many others that Annabella had given to her — on the large table, knowing she would have to match the hues carefully in daylight before she began the repairs. It was then that she noticed — with relief because she would not know how to repair it; and with disappointment because the color of sky would have been such a beautiful addition to the pattern — that there was no real blue any more, only a hint that there once had been.

"Them be all broken, them people. But there be plenty of food. And it's quiet-like, and nice." "What do you mean, broken?" He gestured toward her twisted leg. "Like you. Some don't walk good. Some be broken in other ways. Not all. But lots. Do you think it makes them quiet and nice, to be broken?" Puzzled by his description, Kira didn't answer. Pain makes you strong, her mother had told her. She had not said quiet, or nice. "Anyways," Matt went on, "them got blue, for certain sure."

“We have gardens. Houses. Families. But it is much quieter than this village. There is no arguing. People share what they have, and help each other. Babies rarely cry. Children are cherished." Kira looked at the stone pendant that rested against his blue shirt. She touched her own matching one. "Do you have a family there?" she asked hesitantly. "The whole village is like a family to me, Kira," he replied.

Blue Symbol Timeline in Gathering Blue

The timeline below shows where the symbol Blue appears in Gathering Blue. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Chapter 4

...remembers her mother complaining that she couldn’t find a plant that could produce the color blue.
(full context)

Chapter 8

...what Annabella has showed her, asks Annabella if she knows how to make the color blue. Annabella replies that blue can be made from a plant called woad. The weaver must...
(full context)

Chapter 9

...Edifice, Kira examines the robe she is to repair. There are a few spots of blue, but they’re so faded that they’re almost white. Thomas knocks on her door, and Kira...
(full context)

Chapter 12

...that even the skies, as they’re depicted on the robe, are gray or green, never blue. She longs for blue, the color of calm, and remembers Annabella telling her that there...
(full context)

Chapter 17

...tyke what Matt’s gift was to be. The tyke says that Matt was searching for blue. With this, the tyke’s mother calls him inside, and he runs away.
(full context)

Chapter 18

...the Singer’s staff with thick oils. Matt has not returned from his quest to find blue, even though he’s been gone for many days. Kira touches her cloth, hoping for consolation,...
(full context)

Chapter 20

...him: a dirty square of cloth. Kira is excited to see that the cloth is blue.
(full context)

Matt explains how he found the blue cloth. After stealing food from his mother in preparation for his long journey, he followed...
(full context)

Chapter 21

Kira’s notices that the man’s shirt is blue, and wonders where he came from. Matt shouts that he brought the stranger from “yonder,”...
(full context)

Chapter 22

...Then, he gradually began to remember a song Katrina used to sing, about how the blue sky always fades into night. Kira remembers this song, too. Christopher’s memory slowly returned about...
(full context)

...Matt arrived in Christopher’s new home, Christopher says, Matt said that he was looking for blue for his friend, a talented weaver. Based on this description, Christopher knew instantly that Matt...
(full context)

Chapter 23

...that small woad shoots survive after a storm and go on to produce the color blue. Kira senses that the woad she’s planted in the grass will survive. And, as she...
(full context)

...one two-syllable boy who he thinks Kira could marry, and adds that the boy has blue eyes. Kira smiles and shakes hear head.
(full context)

...sight he’s become excellent with his hands. Earlier that night, he explains, he unraveled his blue shirt (the shirt he’s wearing at that moment is one that Matt stole for him)....
(full context)